Sources of public health intelligence

Sources of public health intelligence can be used at all stages of an enteric outbreak investigation – from outbreak identification to hypothesis generation to knowledge translation for both gathering and sharing information. This document provides a list of online resources that may be used for outbreak notification purposes and journals that publish enteric outbreak investigation findings.

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Outbreak notification

Global Public Health Intelligence Network (GPHIN)

  • The GPHIN is a web based public health early-warning surveillance system developed by the Public Health Agency of Canada and is part of the World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Outbreak and Alert Response Network (GOARN). The system monitors open source information such as news wire, discussion groups and websites, in nine languages, in order to help detect and report potential disease outbreaks or other health treats around the world by taking advantage of the existing globalized virtual communications. This system is monitored by a team of multidisciplinary analysts who apply their interpretive and analytical skills to identify and flag to GPHIN members, public health events that may have serious public health implications. GPHIN provides services to over 500 public health professionals and organizations within and outside Canada and you can join this network by contacting the GPHIN Team at GPHIN-RMISP@phac-aspc.gc.ca. If you decide to apply to join the GPHIN network, please let us know what public health organisation you work for and for what purpose you will be using the GPHIN system.

HealthMap

  • Developed by a team at Boston Children’s Hospital, HealthMap is an online monitoring system that gathers data from around the world on disease outbreaks or emerging public health threats, where they are occurring as well as number of cases.

Program for Monitoring Emerging Diseases (ProMED-mail)

  • An online reporting system that disseminates information, by email, on current outbreaks from around the world. Information sources often come from ProMed subscribers and include media reports, official reports, online summaries, local observers, and others.

Public Health Alerts

  • A secure, web-based alerting system on the Canadian Network for Public Health Intelligence (CNPHI) Platform. The goal is to disseminate information on current public health events to all provinces/territories, regional/local health authorities and national agencies in Canada.

PHAC Travel Health Notices

  • An information source for travellers, posted on the Public Health Agency website, on current conditions or outbreaks in other countries. Travel Health Notices also provides preventative measures to consider when travelling to countries where potential public health risks are noted.

Twitter

  • An online social networking service that allows users to follow events as they happen real-time.

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Journals

The following list provides several examples of journals that publish enteric outbreak investigation findings. Not all of the journals below provide open access.

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